The Armor of God – Prayer
by John David Hicks
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph. 6:10–18).
You are in Spiritual Warfare. The apostle Paul tells us that a good soldier of Christ Jesus will “endure hardship,” and focus on pleasing his “commanding officer” (2 Tim. 2:3–4). Then he will “not be ignorant of Satan’s schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). This armor will defend you in battle and make you ready for the onslaughts of the devil. “Therefore,” Peter says, “prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you” (1 Peter 1:13). “So, let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom.13:12), which is the armor of God. You have five defensive and two offensive weapons.
V.11-13 Lord, As I prepare today for battle; I take up THE ARMOR OF GOD. So that you “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” You are to take a “stand” and face the enemy. With God’s help you are able to hold the line, not retreat or give up any territory. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us” (Rom. 8:37 AMP).
V.14a I put around me the belt of truth and integrity. God’s truth must surround us like a belt. It means being honest and sincere in your faith, and not full of religious hypocrisy. Your belt will hold up your pants and sword. The truth is God’s antidote to Satan’s lies and deception (John 8:44). A “lying tongue” is “detestable to” God (Prov. 6:16-17). The truth sets you free (John 8:32), because your lifestyle conforms to Scripture. The truth makes your witness credible. To be ready for the battle, you must be truthful with yourself and believe in the character and truthfulness of your commander.
V.14b I wear your Breastplate of Righteousness, Holiness and Redemption as my badge of confidence (1 Cor. 1:30). A breastplate shields your vital organs and protects your heart. This righteousness is a gift and is received by faith. Righteousness is first of all a condition of the heart, and your heart is what determines the course of your life. With no condemnation, you have a defense against Satan’s attacks of faultfinding and accusations. You can stand in the presence of God without fault or blame (Jude 24-25).
V. 15 My Shoes of Peace and Conviction make me stand secure. At times the enemy will place dangerous obstacles in your path. Only the gospel of peace will make you aware of the traps of his propaganda. Your shoes will also make you or break you on a long march. Your shoes must provide protection, support, traction, performance and comfort. This peace of God will govern your heart (Phil. 4:7). Your feet are fitted with readiness to share the gospel of peace at any time, which means knowing how to tell others about Christ and being open to the Holy Spirit’s leading in specific situations. Peace gives you a sure foundation (2 Tim 2:19).
V.16 My Shield of Faith in your faithfulness protects me from the darts of the enemy. Your shield is your faith and confidence in the Word of God. As you keep your eyes on Jesus, He will be the“author and perfecter of your faith” (Hebrews 12:2). This assurance will put out the incendiary arrows of the enemy. When you believe in something, your belief gives it power to manifest in your life. Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). If you believe the devil’s lies, you are putting faith into them and opening a door for the devil to influence you. The devil’s lie’s will make temptations stronger. Your shield of faith is protection for you and others. When soldiers join their shields together, they strengthen each other with their faith and are able to take on great challenges. Together, our shields of faith make us overcomers (1 John 5:4).
V.17 The assurance of Salvation is my Helmet that guards my mind. The thoughts in your mind must be protected from deception. Satan bombards you with fear, hatred, suspicion, depression, mistrust, false doctrines, and a host of mental distractions. This call for spiritual discernment (Phil. 4:4-8). Sow a thought, reap a deed. Sow a deed, reap a habit. Sow a habit reap a character. The assurance that you are loved, accepted and forgiven will protect your mind. “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom. 12:2 NLT). So, think about the true, good, kind and lovely (Phil. 4:8-9). You helmet is your defense. Without it you are vulnerable to Satan’s attack.
Offensive weapons: The Sword of the Spirit and Prayer in the Spirit.
V.17b I wield the Sword of the Word as my defense against the Adversary and my authority to save, heal and deliver in the Name of Jesus. The sword of the Spirit is both a defensive and an offensive weapon. “The word of God is living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). The primary purpose of Jesus’s coming was to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8). Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan (Matt. 4:1-10). He showed us the power and authority of the Bible. That Satan is defeated by exposing his darkness to the light of God’s word! “Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake” (1 Thess. 1:5). “But what does [the Bible] say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming” (Rom. 10:8). This sword of the Spirit is available to you! Know it and use it!
V.18 With prayer in the Spirit, I hear your voice; strength is given and the battle is won. The other offensive weapon critical to defeating Satan is prayer in the Spirit. Jesus told His disciples, “How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house” (Matt. 12:29). For the gospel to bear fruit, Satan must be bound in prayer. In Acts 4 when Peter and John received threats from the Sanhedrin, they called a prayer meeting. They ask God to “speak your word with great boldness… [and] stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders…” (Acts 4:29-30). God answered their prayers: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31). In other words, they were praying for power evangelism.
Paul said, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel…” (Eph. 6:19). When you pray in the Spirit you will receive spiritual strength and your orders from God. Without prayer, your efforts in spiritual warfare will be unsuccessful. Jesus said in John 16:24, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” But James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” John Wesley said, “God will do nothing, but in answer to Prayer.” As you pray in the Spirit “the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words” (Rom. 8:26 NLT). Jesus promised, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27). Prayer makes a difference! No wonder the devil does not want you to pray.
Thank you, Lord for the Armor of God that make me an Overcomer! “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37). Put on the full armor of God—truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, your Sword, the Word of God, and prayer. These are your weapons of warfare that will make you spiritually victorious against the attacks and temptations of the enemy.
PRAYER: Lord, As I prepare today for battle; I take up THE ARMOR OF GOD. I put around me the belt of truth and integrity. I wear your breastplate of righteousness, holiness and redemption as my badge of confidence. My shoes of peace and conviction make me stand secure. My shield of faith in your faithfulness protects me from the darts of the enemy. I wield the sword of the Word as my defense against the adversary and my authority to save, heal and deliver in the name of Jesus. The assurance of salvation is my helmet that guards my mind. With prayer in the Spirit, I hear your voice; strength is given and the battle is won. Thank you, Lord for the armor of God that make me an overcomer! Amen.